REGULAR PHYSICAL EXAMS ARE KEY

WHAT IS PSA?

PSA is the abbreviation for prostate-specific antigen, a substance produced by the prostate cells. A PSA test measures the level of PSA in the bloodstream. Very little PSA escapes from a healthy prostate into the bloodstream, but certain prostate conditions can cause larger amounts of PSA to leak into the blood.6,9

High levels of PSA may be a sign of prostate cancer or a noncancerous condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia.5

Find PSA Screening Sites in Your Area

A key to properly diagnosing prostate cancer is having your PSA level checked. PSA stands for prostate-specific antigen, which is a protein produced by cells in your prostate. A high level of PSA in your blood can be a sign of prostate disorders, including prostate cancer.

The Prostate Conditions Education Council® (PCEC) is a nonprofit organization made up of healthcare professionals, scientists, and advocates dedicated to saving men’s lives through education about and awareness of prostate health and other men’s health issues.

Transrectal biopsy: A small tissue sample is removed from your prostate. A pathologist checks the sample for cancer cells.

WHEN THE DIAGNOSIS IS PROSTATE CANCER

If the biopsy is taken and prostate cancer is found, the tumor is graded in the medical lab. The grade indicates the difference in appearance between normal cells and cancer cells when seen through a microscope.8

Sometimes you will hear the grade referred to as the Gleason grade. A Gleason grade ranges from 1 through 5 and is based on the degree of differentiation among the cells. A Gleason grade of 1 indicates that the cancer cell clusters resemble the small, regular, evenly spaced prostate tissue, while a grade of 5 is for irregular, fused cells that have invaded surrounding tissues.10

GRADING PROSTATE TISSUE

Prostate cancers often have areas with different grades. Therefore, a grade is assigned to the two areas that make up most of the cancer. These two grades are added together to yield a Gleason score between 2 and 10. A score of 2 represents a prostate tumor uniformly composed of Gleason pattern 1 prostate cancer cells, and a score of 10 represents totally undifferentiated cancer cells within the prostate tumor.10